Reposession Scammers at Work?

[tlglenn]

I'm looking through the minutes from a local airport's user group meeting held earlier this month and a detective from the Tucson Airport Police Department spoke at that meeting. He said that the FBI and Homeland Security are investigating an aircraft repossession scam. A group will show up with forged FAA and bank documents to repossess an aircraft. Once they have the aircraft they will sell off the parts. The group is operating throughout the southwest region.

 

[Henning]

I'm looking through the minutes from a local airport's user group meeting held earlier this month and a detective from the Tucson Airport Police Department spoke at that meeting. He said that the FBI and Homeland Security are investigating an aircraft repossession scam. A group will show up with forged FAA and bank documents to repossess an aircraft. Once they have the aircraft they will sell off the parts. The group is operating throughout the southwest region.

A repo guy will not mind waiting for the sheriff to arrive, normally we call the local sheriff to tell them we have the property in custody as a legal requirement. If the repo guy doesn't have the sheriffs number, he's likely not a repo guy.

 

[Graueradler]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[oldShar]

A repo guy will not mind waiting for the sheriff to arrive, normally we call the local sheriff to tell them we have the property in custody as a legal requirement. If the repo guy doesn't have the sheriffs number, he's likely not a repo guy.

A total contradiction to what is portrayed by "Reality" TV. ==> They (reality tv) fit the model that the FBI/Sheriff was warning about (hit and run/fly)

 

[Henning]

A total contradiction to what is portrayed by "Reality" TV. ==> They (reality tv) fit the model that the FBI/Sheriff was warning about (hit and run/fly)

There is no reality to reality TV. I repoed for several years, 90% of repos are voluntary where the debtor meets me with keys and whatever else and has his personal belongings cleared. There are 'snatch and grabs' but as I said, my first call once I have the property is to the local sheriff, it's a call I have to make ASAP. If I am challenged on a repo, I will be calling the sheriff before you, no worries (if it's court ordered for a real PITA debtor, the USMS will accompany me, but typically the banks avoid that because they know they will never get that expense back).

The reason the FBI deal goes like the TV deal is that the crooks 'learned' the business from the TV.

 

[nddons]

There is no reality to reality TV. I repoed for several years, 90% of repos are voluntary where the debtor meets me with keys and whatever else and has his personal belongings cleared. There are 'snatch and grabs' but as I said, my first call once I have the property is to the local sheriff, it's a call I have to make ASAP. If I am challenged on a repo, I will be calling the sheriff before you, no worries (if it's court ordered for a real PITA debtor, the USMS will accompany me, but typically the banks avoid that because they know they will never get that expense back).

The reason the FBI deal goes like the TV deal is that the crooks 'learned' the business from the TV.

U.S. Marshals would get involved in a private transaction like a repo? Interesting.

 

[Henning]

U.S. Marshals would get involved in a private transaction like a repo? Interesting.

Sure, but it requires a court order for seizure of the asset, the USMS makes good money off of this stuff. It's also how you execute a lien. Total cost is about $10k (not including custodial storage) and loser pays that.

 

[nddons]

Sure, but it requires a court order for seizure of the asset, the USMS makes good money off of this stuff. It's also how you execute a lien. Total cost is about $10k (not including custodial storage) and loser pays that.

Interesting. Thanks.

 

[N747JB]

Sort of like the "reality" TV show, basically sneak up and steal it! I think most FBO's would notify the owner if someone was wanting to take their airplane, I hope mine would!!
At Flight safety a few years ago they told us about a Conquest II that was stolen. It seems the thief called the FBO for a pull out, had it topped off, had coffee and newspapers put on board and flew it away!!

I'm looking through the minutes from a local airport's user group meeting held earlier this month and a detective from the Tucson Airport Police Department spoke at that meeting. He said that the FBI and Homeland Security are investigating an aircraft repossession scam. A group will show up with forged FAA and bank documents to repossess an aircraft. Once they have the aircraft they will sell off the parts. The group is operating throughout the southwest region.

 

[SoloEqs]

I think most FBO's would notify the owner if someone was wanting to take their airplane, I hope mine would!!

Most FBOs won't even notice. They don't have someone sitting there watching the ramp all day.

Most of those which do will assume that anyone climbing into your plane is legitimate, unless they know you well enough to know that's someone else AND that you NEVER let anyone else fly it. This is made worse by the trend toward locked gates and passcards -- people figure that anyone who gets past the gate belongs there.

Most of those FBOs or people who will notice, know that it's not you and that nobody else flies your plane, and actually care about it will probably fall for the repo scam and not pursue it. That's why they do the scam, because it works.

Your security is your responsibility.

One guy at the airport here takes a key part from his plane and stores it in the locker, to keep a thief from just jumping in and taking off before anyone can respond to the alarm.

More and more airports have someone living at the field, either in a building, an RV or a mobile home. A thief can't know how well the resident knows the planeowners, how observant the resident is, or how quickly the cops will respond if the resident calls them.

 

[Henning]

Most FBOs & marinas cooperate with repo agents, often they owe back rent which I pay on the spot to clear any lien claims. When I'd be looking for one, I'd just send out a mass email requesting notice for a finders fee, typically I'd get a call in a day or so.